Basic Chinese Congee

This is a basic Stovetop recipe for Chinese congee. One thing to remember is the 1:10 rice to water ratio. For a thicker consistency — use 8 cups of water. For runnier congee, use 12 cups. I like something in between :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice (I prefer jasmine, but any short grain rice will do), rinsed until the water runs clear

• 10 cups water, chicken, or vegetable stock 

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more for seasoning

• One-inch knob of ginger, peeled and sliced thin

• Two whole cloves of garlic, peeled

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat — add stock, rice, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Stirring occasionally so that the rice doesn’t burn at the bottom.

2. Simmer the congee for about 1 hour or until the congee is thickened and creamy. Add salt to taste. Serve straight from the pot.

Note: Congee thickens as it cools. If not consuming all at once, add additional stock or water to create the desired consistency.

Topping ideas

I like mine with a simple fried egg in the mornings. Soy sauce, pickled vegetables, savoury dishes. Sliced green onions are also great. 

Stir-fried Anchovy with Mushrooms (Myeolchi bokkeum)

Have you noticed that some of the best conversations occur around a dinner table? I am convinced that there is magic in food that melts barriers and form bridges. It truly is the most approachable and simple form of art.

I had the pleasure of inviting chef Taeyoung Chang over for dinner. Over jook (the Korean word for congee) — we discussed our Asian upbringing, the challenges, the dual-identities we re-embrace as adults, and the heritage we are able to express through cooking.

This dish is inspired by the anchovy banchan dish Myeolchi bokkeum (멸지 볶음 ). Banchan is a collective name for small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. I love how a bowl of congee is like a canvas where you can add your dishes of choice. It can be as simple as a fried egg with soy sauce or elaborate with fried puffed kombu, anchovies, and garlic oil.

Stir-fried Anchovy with Mushrooms

Serves 2-3. Recipe by Taeyoung

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups shimeji mushrooms, ends removed and separated into pieces

• 2 tbsp dried anchovy (12–15 pieces) 

• A handful of Dasima kombu (8 pieces) *See note

• 1 tbsp butter 

• 1 tbsp oil 

• Juice from half a lemon 

• TT Black Pepper 

• TT kosher salt

Instructions

1. Over medium-high heat, pan-fry the kelp in canola oil until bubbles appear. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan and oil, sear the mushrooms — keep in a single layer and be sure to not overcrowd the pan.

3. Add in your butter and toss in your anchovies, add 2–3 cracks of black pepper.

4. When golden brown, remove from heat, season with salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with Basic Chinese Congee or Sweet Potato Congee.

*Note: The correct type of kombu to use here is Dasima, not just soup kombu. If you have trouble finding Dasima kombu, omit it from the recipe.

Sweet Potato Congee

sweet potato congee with house edible flowers

I hope it’s been a good June for everyone. It’s been particularly cold in Vancouver so I have been firing up the stove for a lot of congee. For those who are new to congee — congee is the Asian version of chicken soup, for the soul, and so much more. A warm and nourishing meal known to boost your chi — congee is the remedy food for colds, flu, stomach aches, and bad days. It’s also a popular breakfast food for all ages and served in multiple flavors at congee noodle restaurants in Vancouver. 

This sweet potato congee is sentiment to Taiwan — the beautiful island I call home. Geographically shaped like a sweet potato — the Taiwanese take pride in what we call a “sweet potato spirit / 番薯精神”. A spirit determined to take root and bear fruit wherever we are planted, even in the harshest environments. A life force that propelled the island to prosperity in the early farming days.

In Taiwanese, one of the few words I know is “Muai” which means congee — a breakfast item I would request every time I visited grandma in South Taiwan. Cooked from leftover rice and served with a humble fried egg, soy sauce, and pickled vegetables — it was a breakfast to wake up to.

In Taiwan, there are plenty of restaurants that serve plain congee with a wide selection of dishes known as “清粥小菜” meaning “light congee, little dishes”. To make a congee spread — top with anything you like to eat. The possibilities are endless. 

Ideas for congee toppings:

• Fried eggs, or eggs any way

• Stir-fried vegetables

• Spicy cucumber fans

• Stir-fry lotus root

• Furikake

• Pork floss

• Braised tofu and vegetables in soy sauce

• Pickled cucumbers(I like 金蘭 Kamlan brand from T&T)

Congee bowl topped with everything I like to eat — spicy lotus root, braised tofu, egg and vegetables in soy sauce, pickled cucumbers and fresh greens

My idea of a congee feast — furikake, pork floss(for the meat-eaters), pickled watermelon radish, fried egg, stir-fried vegetables, and tofu

Sweet Potato Congee Recipe

Serves 2 to 3 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice (short grain rice or jasmine rice for extra flavor)

• 10 cups water

• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces. 

Instructions

Rinse 1 cup of rice until the water runs clear. Soak for 1-hour or overnight. Drain and set aside. Peel and chop 1 medium sweet potato into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

1. Bring 10 cups of water to a boil, add the rice, cook and bring to a boil again. Adjust the heat to simmer and cook for 45 mins to 1-hour. Stirring the bottom of the pot constantly. Cook until the rice is mushy, softened, but still retains its shape.

2. Add the sweet potato and bring it to a boil for 5 mins. Cover the pot with a lid, turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. The heat from the rice will cook the sweet potato while keeping its shape, we don’t want it to get mushy here.

3. Serve and enjoy the congee while it’s hot. This sweet potato congee keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days.